Central Bank of Bahrain

The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) is a public corporate entity established by the 2006 CBB and Financial Institutions Law. It is responsible for maintaining monetary and financial stability in the Kingdom of Bahrain and succeeded the Bahrain Monetary Agency, which had previously carried out central banking and regulatory functions since its establishment in 1973.

The CBB implements the Kingdom’s monetary and foreign exchange rate policies, manages the government’s reserves and debt issuance, issues the national currency and oversees the country’s payments and settlement systems. It is also the sole regulator of Bahrain’s financial sector, covering the full range of banking, insurance, investment business and capital markets activities.

The CBB’s wide scope of responsibilities allows a consistent policy approach to be undertaken across the whole of the Kingdom’s financial sector. It also provides a straightforward and efficient regulatory framework for financial services firms operating in Bahrain.

No person may market any financial services in the Kingdom of Bahrain unless:

(a) Allowed to do by the terms of a license issued by the CBB;

(b) The activities come within the terms of an exemption granted by the CBB by way of a Directive;

(c) Has obtained the express written permission of the CBB to offer financial services.

In general, the profile of a CBB-regulated trading company can be found in the CBB Licensing Directory. Try to find it and check if the information matches that on the broker's website.
 
The detailed steps are as follows:

1. Find the trading company's entity name, which you can get from the broker's website.
 
2. Enter the company name into the search bar at https://www.cbb.gov.bh/licensing-directory/ and click Search. A list of companies will appear below the search bar.

 
3. Check that the registered information of the licensed firm corresponds with what is shown on the broker's website.  Most importantly, verify that the website belongs to the same licensee as the broker's operating domain.

When you have disputes with a CBB-regulated broker, you can proceed the following ways:

1st way: The recommended way is to contact the broker directly by sending a formal complaint via email or an official letter to their designated complaints team. 

2nd way: If you are not satisfied with the broker’s response or if they fail to respond within the stipulated timeframe, you may escalate your complaint to the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB). You can do this through:

• In person at the CBB headquarters
• By calling the CBB Consumer Protection Office at +973 17547789
• Online Complaint Form: https://www.cbb.gov.bh/complaint-form/

3rd way: If the above steps do not resolve your dispute, you may consider pursuing legal action by filing a case in the appropriate court in the Kingdom of Bahrain.